‘Prince Nezha’s Triumph Against the Dragon King’ – shadow play

This show in Wuhan, Hubei Province provides audiences with the opportunity to experience one of China’s interesting intangible cultural heritages – shadow puppetry, also known as shadow play.

The show is inspired by the 1979 animated film Prince Nezha’s Triumph Against the Dragon King. The story features Nezha, one of China’s most loved mythological characters.

The show will be performed by Qin Ligang, a puppetry artist who has been officially named as a national-level intangible cultural heritage inheritor of the art form.

Qin has always shown an interest in using shadow puppets to interpret Chinese stories featuring classic characters such as Nezha and the Monkey King.

Shadow puppetry is an art form with roots in the Western Han Dynasty (206BC–AD25). Before the emergence of TV and other technological devices, the art form was one of the major types of entertainment for ancient Chinese.

Where: Yi Yan Tang Yue Space Theater, Wuhan

When: October 23, 2022

Price: 80 yuan ($11)